A teenage motorist from Derby was told by a judge to “apologise to your mum” after he stole her car and led police on a high-speed chase that almost ended with him mowing down a female pedestrian.

Unlicensed Arbaz Shehzad fled from police at 60mph down 30mph Normanton Road without the Vauxhall Astra’s lights switched on as he tried to escape from a pursuing patrol car.

Derby Crown Court heard how he “dangerously” went to overtake one car which “caused the vehicle to fishtail” as he lost control, mounted a pavement and almost collided with the woman who had to jump out of the way.

The 18-year-old call centre worker was then arrested as the car was strewn sideways across the road in front of shocked onlookers.

The police chase was down Normanton Road (Image: Google Maps)

Handing him a two-year community order, Recorder Sally Hancox told Shehzad: “You owe your mother a huge apology and I sincerely hope that the effect of coming to court and having her in the public gallery watching this is pricking your conscience?

“I hope for good reason you are frightened today and that you realise the seriousness of what you did. If you had collided with that woman and caused her serious injury, someone of your age would be looking at a two-to-three-year prison term.

“If you had killed her, you would be looking at a sentence of four to five years, even at your young age. What you did that evening was so unbelievably stupid, it really does not bear thinking about.”

“They followed it on to Normanton Road and activated their emergency equipment and it pulled over. But, as the police officer got out of his vehicle, the car sped off at speed with screeching tyres and the lights turned off.”

Mr Taylor said the police officer got back in the car and a chase began. He said: “As the defendant went down Normanton Road at 60mph, he tried an extravagant manoeuvre swerving as he went to overtake a car.

“That caused him to lose control, fishtail and mount a pavement heading towards people on it. A woman had to jump out of the way to avoid a collision.”